Mike's Pizza and Pasta opens in former Pro's building

Everyone has their own idea of how the best pizza should taste, said Mike Kurimsky, owner of Mike's Pizza and Pasta at 803 Spartanburg Highway in Hendersonville.

By Mark SchulmanTimes-News Staff Writer

Everyone has their own idea of how the best pizza should taste, said Mike Kurimsky, owner of Mike's Pizza and Pasta at 803 Spartanburg Highway in Hendersonville.With that in mind, Kurimsky said, “We'll make a pizza any way you want.” A person's taste for pizza pie usually comes from their youth and where they grew up, the pizza maker said.“Some people like thick crust, some like thin; some like a lot of sauce, some like a little cheese,” Kurimsky said.If there is no special request, the pie is served with a crust of medium thickness, crispy on the top and bottom. Signature items on Mike's Pizza and Pasta menu include homemade meatballs, manicotti, lasagna and wing sauce. But the menu would not be complete without a customer favorite — garlic knots. “They are second to none,” Kurimsky said.The appetizer is made from homemade pizza dough tied in a knot, baked and topped with olive oil, garlic and parmesan cheese.“It all starts with good food,” said Kurimsky, who first opened Big Mike's Pizza in Brevard in 1999. “Good food brings people back.”He brought his two sons, 24-year-old Mike and 20-year-old Matt, onboard to work at the new location for the experience. One works in the kitchen, the other in the dining room.“So far so good,” Kurimsky said. “I thought it would be good to give them a jumpstart on life.”Kurimsky bought the Spartanburg Highway store Nov. 12 and they renovated the entire inside of the restaurant. The attached bar is called East Side Pub.The restaurant will add more for customers in the coming weeks, including a pizza buffet, salad bar and daily food and drink specials.The 110-seat restaurant, formerly Pro's Pizza, is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the bar stays open later. The menu can be found online at www.mikespizzaandpasta.com.Reach Schulman at 828-694-7890 or mark.schulman@blueridgenow.com.